【36 - A Rivalry Duel and then...META Portal Opens!? Enter the Twilight Kingdom!】


While everyone else had been content to stay put and wait until events unfolded, one of the teens wasn't. Simon had intended to leave early to not be noticed but he hadn't counted on one of the others following him. He stopped at an intersection and looked back, catching the shadow before it ducked behind the telegraph pole.

"…Lisa?" he stared for a moment before she stepped out. "Why are you following me?"

"Why are you leaving? You know it's not safe to be outdoors."

"Not safe for the others, but I know this city. Better than you, Diego and the girls."

"Then what are you doing?" she insisted with arms crossed.

"…I'm checking in with my contacts. I might be able to find another lieutenant before they escape."

"Then you need someone for backup. The kids, Mr Barrow - they'd all be devastated if you didn't come back!"

"Well what about you and Diego?"

"I'd rather not… worry Diego about this or put him in danger…" she looked aside.

"You don't think he'd feel the same way about you?"

"Yes, but he isn't here to make that decision" she stepped up to Simon.

Simon gave an exasperated sigh "fine… since you have such a proclivity for dangerous activities."

"Great" she started walking and he followed.

"Guess this means you couldn't resist staying away from me after all?" he put his hands behind his head.

"Oh please, Simon. Even if I weren't with Diego, you are not my type."

"Excuse me…?" he stopped then followed after her "what's with that tone? What's so wrong with me anyway? Any girl or guy would be lucky to have me…"

They travelled together while Lisa remained tight-lipped on that subject. Simon began listing his good qualities, though many were greatly exaggerated. That day they spent hours walking, with no mobile phones they had no way of knowing how the others were reacting to their disappearance. As Simon spoke with his various confidants Lisa preferred to stand aside, they tended to be too distracted by her and do macho posturing instead. A few blatantly hit on her; it was easier to just let Simon do his thing. After visiting different parks they finally had a worthwhile lead, the two crept along to a construction site. It was a giant metal skeleton of a sky-scraper, all criss-crossing beams, but over the decades it'd rusted in place. Simon had kept going back to their previous conversation and finally Lisa had to sigh and give in.

"Well you're kind of… scruffy. And dirty."

"Lisa, this is the coal province. Everyone's scruffy and dirty."

"To an extent. But not Diego…"

"Well excuuuse me for not growing up with posh gangs or influential figures."

"Shh!"

"No, I'm offended now."

"Look I'm sorry. You're great, you're a great catch. Now will you please shh!" she held her finger to her lips.

Simon smiled as they both peered over the stack of beams they were hiding behind "knew you couldn't resist me," he jibed and she rolled her eyes.

"See that guy over there, that's Pello junior" Lisa whispered at the sight of a young, suited man.

"I see him. This is a Knife-gang meet-up after all. Bet he's still after you?"

"If his Dad's still alive…"

"Woah," as men cleared out of sight they could see an open truck filled with explosives "they still have so much weapons left. Think they're going to destroy as much of the city as they can?"

"Seems like it," Lisa agreed. "Good thing we came."

Their eyes widened at the next figure who stepped into view, big enough to need no introduction. Destirio tried putting his hand on Pello's shoulder but he threw it off, obviously shouting and mad. After some kind of trade was established the gangsters started to get into their trucks and drive off.

"You're not getting away this time…" Simon jumped up and snuck out.

"Simon!" Lisa hissed "what are you doing?"

She watched on as he ignored her, sneaking between beams and running along edges. He found a ladder and started climbing. Then he was sidling along metal at a height that would make Lisa too nervous to attempt. He swung around the bars then side-stepped along. Destirio was still chatting with a few remaining mobsters.

"Hey!" Simon cupped his mouth to shout. The men looked around, Destirio raised his head and spotted him.

"Simon?"

"We got a score to settle, don't we? Why don't you tell us what you're doing with all those weapons?"

The man beside Destirio pointed his gun but the big guy reached out and lowered his arm.

"You always had gall, Simon. It'd be a shame to kill you, but it seems you need another loss to remind you of your place." The cage-fighter stepped over to a ladder-beam and started climbing.

Nerves played on Simon's face to see the guy coming up to join him in the air, but he held firm. Both were twenty feet up which meant even a loss from a weak creature was likely to be fatal. Once Destirio was on his level they stared across the empty space between them.

"Kettou da!" Simon challenged.

"Yoshi," Destirio accepted.

Purple and green Kaijudo flames flared up and their tables faded into view, suspended in the air. Crystalline shields projected wider in the open space. They shuffled and Simon began by setting Seamine as mana and passing the turn. Destirio charged with a Mana Nexus and ended.

Simon added darkness mana "I summon Emeral!" The cyber lord with its mechanized gold helmet hovered into play. Simon replaced a shield with a trigger in his hand "Turn end."

Destirio also charged darkness "I summon Poisonous Mushroom and add extra mana," he slipped in a Natural Snare as his red-inflated fungus bobbed in place, both opposing creatures on 1000.

"I summon Propeller Mutant!" the hedrian aeroplane flew around the rusted beams before hovering in place, its blades humming as they spun. "Emeral break his shield, ike!" The cyber lord lunged out then fired a bolt from that helmet and splintered a panel, glass raining down the drop.

Simon gave a smug grin as his opponent added the shield to his hand "so tell me, Destirio, what's a gangster like you doing working as the right-hand man to a lieutenant? Got a little kid fetish?"

"No. If you must know, I once had a young daughter of my own. When she died my life fell apart, my wife ended up leaving me and I turned to cage-fighting to deal with all the rage. It didn't stop my drinking or the driving offenses. But then Kurushi came to let me out of prison and gave me a new chance to be a part of something bigger. I've always been kind to young girls, they remind me of Cynthia, my daughter."

Simon blinked in surprise, not expecting such honesty "Kurushi is the bad guy here, they all are! You know they want to take over the world!?"

"They want to change the world, and who's to say you're not the bad guy for wanting to stop them! I cast Slash Charger to discard a Bombazar, Dragon of Destiny from my deck." The darkness spell shined, white ooze stretched out before forming a face and chomping onto his table. He discarded the dragon and his spell became mana. "Balloon Mushroom suicides with Emeral, ike!" His fungus soared into battle, swatting against the angry cyber lord before both were pulled apart and died.

Simon drew "…so you are using your Bombazar deck. Well I'm sorry to tell you but I play discard control now! I won't give you a chance to summon it!" From looking over Simon could tell Destirio had five mana, he needed seven to summon Bombazar but he wouldn't play it until he was sure to win in the two turns it granted him. "I evolve Propeller Mutant into Hydrooze, the Mutant Emperor!" Purple and blue light overwhelmed his creature, it grew into a warship with missiles stuck together with black ooze. At its appearance their surrounding structure groaned and rust flakes scattered down. So far the invisible Kaijudo energy sustained the area for their game. The blonde teen pointed "it increases my other cyber lords and hedrians, and it's unblockable! Ike!" He tapped the 5000 creature and it sent artillery fire into another shield.

"You've activated Dark Reversal, just the card I needed!" Destirio revealed the trigger. "I add Bombazar to my hand." A tombstone rose up and at its base emerged the soul of his dragon.

"Shit…not good…"

"Now I play Bombat, General of Speed!" His dragonoid speed-attacker whizzed up, tongue lolling as it thumbed the trigger of its jetpack "Ike!" It blurred, too fast to be seen, and shattered a shield. Simon almost overbalanced and fell.

"Dammit Simon!" Lisa yelled from her hiding spot "Be careful!" She was further annoyed by receiving a carefree thumbs-up.

"Alright… I summon Corile and send Bombat to your top-deck!" A graceful cyber lord drifted down while undulating, it sent a torrent of water to wash the dragonoid away. "Hydrooze another shield, ike!" Gunfire and grenade-launchers took out his third shield, Destirio winced and pulled a large shard of glass out from his arm and tossed it away.

"I add my seventh mana, you know what that means right? I could summon Bombazar right now and then re-summon Bombat next turn. You have four shields, Bombazar could double-break twice while Bombat sends you plummeting to your death!"

"A quick game's a good game," Simon shrugged.

"But you did most likely plant a trigger after summoning Emeral… so I won't rush anything yet. I summon Bombat, General of Speed! Break a shield, ike!" The 3000 dragonoid blurred as its jetpack sparked blue. Simon prepared this time, air buffeting closer as his second shield was taken out.

"My turn! I evolve Corile into a second Hydrooze! Now that there's two of them they're both on 7000! First Hydrooze, attack Bombat! Second Hydrooze, break your shield! Ike!" Invisible energy poured out at the appearance of a second Mutant Emperor, missiles went ballistic and took out Destirio's creature and another shield. At the green glow of another trigger he smirked.

"Mana Nexus! I can add a card from my mana zone to my shields, I choose another Mana Nexus!" The green brightened and a panel reassembled.

"He brought back his shield… and he can bring it back another time too!"

"You're not going to beat me, Simon. Didn't our days at the underground circuit teach you anything?" Destirio drew and with a small smile realised it was another Bombazar. But first he needed to make sure of something "I cast Soulswap to replace one of your Hydroozes with a creature in your mana," a magic blue circle appeared underneath one of them and it was sucked in, a Propellor Mutant was spat back out. "Then I summon Mezger, Commando Leader!" His newest speed attacker was a humanoid with a metal mallet. "I'm not waiting around anymore, I'm going to attack the shield you replaced now! Ike!" The mallet swung and crunched glass, he waited to see which trigger it was.

"Ghost Touch!" Simon pointed. A black robe extended, a skeletal hand pointing at a card that started glowing. Destirio only held two cards, with a wince he dropped a Bombazar. "I've also got to say, that's not a poker face you had on before. I've tried my hand at gambling and I'm willing to bet that's a second Bombazar you're holding, right?"

Destirio looked astounded before he growled "Simon, you little…"

"I summon Emeral to replace another shield! And look at that, my luck keeps on going, I can now evolve it straight into Hydrooze again!" Once more a second Mutant Emperor entered play "Propellor Mutant attacks Mezger and dies, so you discard your last card! Then first Hydrooze breaks your Mana Nexus shield!" Chaos ensued as creatures, cards and shields were destroyed. The second Mana Nexus replaced his shield again with Natural Snare and Simon attacked it yet again with his second Hydrooze, it was swallowed by a rapidly growing tree. It and the card beneath it popped up and landed separately as mana.

"A close game," Destirio shook his head. "But you're not going to beat me. I cast Zombie Carnival!" The darkness spell shone "I choose a race and add up to three of them to my hand, that means I get both Bombazars back! And with two speed-attackers I can win next turn! Mezger ike! We now have one shield each." That mallet crunched glass and shards ricocheted off the rusted beams. "Your move…"

"I summon Seamine" an aquatic 4000 blocker swam into play. "Hydrooze takes out Mezger and I end my turn…" Gunfire took out the humanoid and when the turn changed to Destirio a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Well it's been fun, boy… I'm certainly not going to miss your snarky talkback or shameless flirting, and after you die here I'm sure there'll be others who want me dead. Can't be helped. I summon Bombazar, Dragon of Destiny!" A surge of light shone as he held the card overhead. The huge rainbow-creature dragon emerged with an earthy roar. Lime-green wings and red armour, the forbidden dragon glared down with a head sprouting curved horns. "Its come into play effect activates, this game is getting finished here one way or another! Bombazar ike!" The metal weapons on its arms glowed red-hot, piercing downward through Simon's last shield. As the shards flew the bigger man was confused "…you didn't block?"

"Nope," Simon smiled despite the scratches he got on his arms "cause I put that shield there with my second Emeral, remember? So activate Transmogrify! Bombazar is destroyed and replaced with the next non-evolution creature you draw!" It reared its head and roared again as cybernetic panels flickered to life around it.

"A gamble!?" Destirio picked up his deck and flicked through the cards. His face paled before he dropped the substitute onto the table-top "…Gray Balloon, Shadow of Greed."

"A blocker that can't attack players," Simon shook his head. "Well it's time for your second turn, chief."

Destirio's cards untapped themselves and while possessed by fury he went "I summon my second Bombazar, Dragon of Destiny!" The earth dragon cross armoured dragon blazed to life in a stream of colour once more. "Ike todomeda!"

"And now I'm going to block" he tapped Seamine. "That's your second move done, and that's game! Nobody likes Bombazar, Destirio…"

The barrel-bodied brute stared, his wide eyes moved to his graveyard pile as it began to burn white. It was just like after his duel with Heidi. There was an explosion and he was burnt once more, knocked back and falling as the structure toppled down. The beams buckled and burst, bolts flying as they fell with tumultuous crashes. Lisa turned and fled. Simon ducked down to hold on, but the whole skeleton was dipping toward the road. The ground was rushing to him faster and faster, all he could do was jump at the last moment. Dust exploded and the nearby city quaked.

"Ow…" a long moment passed and the blonde slowly blinked up at the sky. There stood Lisa, relieved but also shaking her head with hands on her hips.

"Insane… well now you're even scruffier and dirtier, so good job Simon."

"I hurt my side… does this constitute a kiss?"

"You took down one gangster. Diego saved a million people. How is that the same?"

"So Destirio is dead then…?"

"Yes," Lisa looked over at his crushed corpse and shivered. "Yes, he's definitely dead."

"Well, what about a kiss on the cheek?"

"You have to beat me in a duel for that."

"Really?"

"No. Sit up" she helped him move and he winced again, hissing out breaths. "The hospital won't treat you after they see you've been branded with a gang sign! If you broke ribs you're fucked, Simon! So reckless…"

"I don't… think…"

"Shut up. How's that?" she started feeling around his body, doing her nursey things and after confirming that no bones were broken she shook her head. "If you weren't already hurt I'd pinch you."

"Well, we took down one of their duellists right?"

"I don't think it really matters. Destirio was just muscle, and now we're going to have Kurushi to deal with." Lisa looked around the ruined lot, dust clouds drifting about. She couldn't see the remaining gangsters but she had a bad feeling. "We better go, Simon."

"I don't think I can walk just yet" he admitted.

Lisa stared at something down the road "Great…"


If we shadows have offended think but this and all is mended.
That you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream.


"¿əʍ ərɐ ərəɥʍ..."

In her dreams Heidi saw shapes that transformed into curious beings. It'd first started when she was forcibly high on drugs, seeing gigantic anthropomorphic animal-demons. Then there were other duellists from the future. She blinked her eyes in a strange space, everything rippled with a dreamy haze, and she realised it was Amira staring groggily back. The two girls were drifting through space together, away from their planet. It felt like they were outside of regular space, whatever that meant. They were further, and then suddenly there was a portal of light and Heidi stumbled and tripped over herself, falling into it and dragging Amira after her.

Both girls were suddenly awake, crashing into an exquisite rug of rich texture. Persian red with gold embroidery. They blinked as they tried to get their bearings.

"That looked like it hurt," someone said.

The first thing the girls noticed in a luxurious library was the giant dark owl that blinked at them wisely.

"I'm dreaming…" Heidi blurted "I've got to be dreaming right?"

"Hello Heidi and Amira," the owl-being greeted. "I am Fukurokuju, youkai of near-omniscient knowledge in the Twilight Kingdom."

"This is definitely a dream," Amira said.

"Wait, you can't be the one dreaming if I know for a fact I'm real!" Heidi challenged.

"For all intents and purposes this is very much a dream shared between you both," he spoke wisely. "as your time here will pass and be wiped from your memories, and then you will return to resume your lives. Now before we continue" those big eyes widened and impossibly, the girls felt knowledge pour into their brains. They suddenly understood all about the Twilight Kingdom, a civilization home to magical demons known as youkai that live above the abyss that exists between purgatory and hell. They were in another dimension, an alternate universe but far beyond simple iterations of their own planet. Youkai were immortal and powerful. Fukurokuju blinked and his pupils shrunk back to normal.

"Woah…" Heidi spoke as they stood.

The two girls realised they weren't alone but surrounded by a small group of people. There were four ordinary-looking guys in their immediate vicinity.

"Welcome," a man in glasses greeted, from his voice they could tell he was the one who commented on their fall. "I'm Michael and this is Jonathan." They were both Asian but Jonathan had white hair, he gave a small wave.

"CJ here," a dark-skinned boy who looked closest to their age waved from one of the various tables. "That guy over there's Jukka." When they looked over to the bookshelves a slim Caucasian gave a casual wave before returning to what he was doing. The four humans were dressed normally. The girls were still too surprised to reply.

"Now I have summoned you here the two of you will spend your days completing the odd chores and tasks I will assign," the giant owl continued "and in exchange I will give you whatever information you seek before returning you back to your world."

"W-why have you chosen us?" Amira's voice was small in the presence of the magnificent youkai.

He leaned in and turned his beak "you are both chosen duellists from your dimension, are you not?"

"Whatever information we seek… you can tell us how to stop the Gatekeepers!" Heidi exclaimed.

"I can give you an answer," Fukurokuju leaned back "And as you can see there are others in the same position as you. Do not fear, no harm will come to you in my abode."

Heidi was now looking around at the huge palace in wonder. Beyond those around her, far off in a corner of the room was another giant youkai. Purple, with wings and the black mane of a lion. His eyes looked especially evil, red dots in black sclera. The menace that emanated from him was palpable and she immediately decided to keep her distance from that one. While Amira hung back from nerves the fire duellist immediately stepped up to introduce herself.

"Hey, I'm Heidi Hirazumi! Nice to meet you!" For the first time in a long time, old Heidi was back.

"Yes," the one known as Michael smiled "arriving here can be a shock but you get used to it. The chores aren't too bad and there's ample to read in all the bookshelves."

"Just take care with the more ancient tomes, I suspect some magic isn't meant to be known by mortals" Jonathan chimed in.

CJ sighed and closed the book he'd been reading "How annoying the chores are depends on the options he gives us. You two weren't there when I was picking herbs for three hours yesterday, trying to find a dusk rose."

"Cooool!" Heidi couldn't help saying, still looking around at the size of everything "this place is really amazing!"

"Hmph," the scoff came from the giant purple demon in the corner. Everyone else seemed to be steering clear of him too. Heidi wasn't sure she wanted to ask about him but then a new voice filled the room.

"Girls? There are other girls here now?" A beautiful woman in a shrine maiden outfit ran to the group, her eyes lighting up at the newcomers. She rushed over and took Heidi's hands, smiling brightly "hello, I'm Nekohana! I hope we can become friends!"

"Uh… hi," Heidi was surprised but regained her smile "yes, hopefully."

"Why do you bother with such ridiculous disguises, Nekohana?" the evil lion rested his chin on his paw.

"Please Shishima," she turned to reprimand him "we want to make a good first impression for our guests."

Heidi blinked at the woman while the lion snorted, she took her hands back "what does he mean, disguise?"

"Oh, well you see, I'm also a youkai" the woman turned her head and smiled. The other guys wore bemused expressions, as if they were used to all this by now.

"…you are?" Amira asked.

"Mm-hm. I'm a flower lioness youkai, would you like to see?"

"Ha…" Michael sighed "Nekohana, I'm sure the girls are feeling overwhelmed right now-"

"Yes!" Heidi stepped forward with her fists raised in excitement.

Nekohana smiled wider then stepped back to give them space. They watched as she changed before their eyes, growing into a gigantic purple lioness with a mane of colourful flowers. That's right, youkai can do magic. The knowledge had been downloaded to her brain courtesy of their owl host. Everything about this felt so fantastical, like it was nothing more than a peculiar dream.

"Amazing! Youkai are so cool!" Heidi cheered.

The lioness gave a bow before shrinking once more into a bowing woman, she straightened and walked close again "I'm glad you enjoyed that."

"Very cool, it's like being a superhero! And you're very pretty, Nekohana."

"Why thank you!"

"Amira, right?" Jonathan brought their attention to the other chosen "would you like to sit down by the sofas? You look faint. Michael and I will be starting on dinner soon, then we can get you something to eat."

"Yeah I think that'd be best…" she let herself be led away from the youkai and their commotion.

Jukka shook his head and put a book back. Occasionally he would peer over but didn't seem ready to approach them yet. CJ was now standing with hands in his pockets.

"Performing tricks for the humans…" the lion known as Shishima growled with distaste.

"Now please don't mind him, he's really not that bad," the shrine maiden tried smiling to hide her exasperation.

"Such disrespect!" cried an unusual voice, Heidi found herself looking around to find the source. A wolf-human plush toy with boxing gloves and a scythe emerged from behind Shishima. He was smaller than Heidi, running over with red eyes burning in fury "I will not accept you insulting the master anymore, woman! Shishima-sama and I are both evil to the core! We will never change so quit trying!"

"This has to be a dream…" Heidi stared. "…but I'm not creative enough to come up with all this."

"You're not in Kanzas anymore, right?" CJ joked from beside her.

"Are you a youkai too?" Heidi asked.

"What?" the plushie snapped "Do I look like a youkai?"

"Well, no…"

"I'm Borof, see!" he flashed a card in her face. It was a Duel Masters card from a future set: Borof, Final Dragon Edge. Heidi held the card and blinked at it, when she lowered it Borof was striking the same pose.

"You're a creature from the creature world?"

"Yes! The new and improved Draguner, Borof! Loyal minion of the Great Shishima-sama, heir to the Twilight Kingdom!"

"Never too late in the day for grandstanding I take it," suddenly Jukka was with them. "And now you get to do some posturing for the newcomers, whoop-dee-do."

"Quiet, human! If it wasn't for Fukurokuju's protection the master and I would've dismembered you already!"

"I have no doubt. By the way…" Jukka looked at Michael "This is like the first time I've been able to talk to one of you without the other around. Are you and Jonathan… together?"

Michael paused to process the question "Oh, no. After spending so much time around each other it's just good to have someone who understands you."

"Ah, pity" Jukka looked aside.

"You can say what you like, Borof" the woman Nekohana was strident as she continued their talk, crossing her arms and facing away "I know there's goodness still in him and I will bring it out once more."

Heidi looked at all the doubtful faces. The creature Borof laughed and hauled that scythe over his shoulder, walking back to his master. The giant owl was merely standing quiet and listening to their exchange at this point. He turned his beak to Jukka and his expression changed, almost as if they were communicating telepathically.

"Jukka and I will be having a word in my chamber. Your chores begin tomorrow so try to be well-rested, Heidi. Your youthful enthusiasm will be appreciated." Then with big shuffling steps the wise youkai left the group for an arched doorway. Jukka waved before following after him.

"I better get started on dinner then" Michael commented.

"And I better get an early sleep tonight, or all the easy jobs will be taken and I'll be left to kick rocks and pick more herbs" CJ remarked.

They started moving off so Heidi followed them, unsure of what else to do. She subtly reached under her jacket to pinch herself. She didn't wake up from this fantastical dream.


AN: So that happened. Wait! Hold up! Lower your pitchforks and let me explain! Okay...phew. So me and the other fandom writers tend to get pretty involved in roleplay and -WOAH! Pitchforks! Down! ...if any of you readers didn't notice, the whole point of AUrellia (AU as in alternate universe) was for cross-overs and fun. If the sudden appearance of that new cast is daunting you can relax with the knowledge they won't play a big role in this individual story. In my series definitely, but not Supernova Storm. And to my fellow writers I did my best to have them in character, but will gladly make changes if you feel they're necessary. Also poem is Shakespeare and not me. We'll get back on track with the real story next chapter, promise.